Best Buy has posted placeholder SKUs for 3 "Coming Soon" models of Apple's Wi-Fi iPad at prices of $599 and $699, possibly suggesting that retail channels are prepping for the release of the second-generation iPad expected this spring.

The listings on Best Buy's online store describe an "Apple Computer Inc. - Apple iPad SKU WiFi." Two of the SKUs have a $599.99 price tag, while one of the SKUs is priced at $699.99.

All six of the current-generation iPad models are still available from Best Buy's website. By way of comparison, the $699.99 64GB Wi-Fi first-generation iPad has a SKU of 9811424, while the similarly priced "Coming Soon" iPad has a SKU of 1945674.

Though the mystery iPad SKUs could hint at a next-generation tablet device from Apple, it should be noted that they could also be the result of an inventory error.

Recent reports suggest that the iPad 2 could have quadruple the resolution of the original iPad. The next-generation tablet will also reportedly have front and rear cameras and possibly an SD card slot.

Last March, AppleInsider reported that dummy SKUs for Apple products, possibly the iPad or new MacBook Pros, were showing up in Best Buy's inventory system.

Apple partnered with the retail giant last year, allowing 'most' Best Buy brick-and-mortar locations to offer the iPad at launch, though initial supply was limited. All Best Buy locations began carrying the iPad on Sept. 26.

Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn made waves last fall when he made comments suggesting that sales of some notebook models at Best Buy's stores were being cannibalized by as much as half. Dunn quickly retracted the comment, quipping that reports of the demise of netbooks "are grossly exaggerated."

According to Dunn's clarified statements, tablets like the iPad represents "an incremental opportunity" for Best Buy, while computers would "remain a very popular gift" for the 2010 holiday season.

Seriously? What are you smoking? Releasing a Verizon iPhone 6 months from the launch of iPhone 5 (pretty much guaranteed based on the last 3 launches being almost identical) was out of character.

With the iPad we are already past the initial announce date, 8 weeks from the initial "taking orders" date and less than 12 weeks from the first iPad's 1 yr anniversary. If you think this isn't for iPad 2 you no nothing of Apple or their work.

Seriously? What are you smoking? Releasing a Verizon iPhone 6 months from the launch of iPhone 5 (pretty much guaranteed based on the last 3 launches being almost identical) was out of character.

With the iPad we are already past the initial announce date, 8 weeks from the initial "taking orders" date and less than 12 weeks from the first iPad's 1 yr anniversary. If you think this isn't for iPad 2 you no nothing of Apple or their work.

Actually, I was just asking a simple question and by your response, I'm wondering what your smoking?

Someone's head will roll for releasing pricing at this stage if this is accurate but I doubt Apple would share information with Best buy at this stage. Perhaps this is just a place holder in their database being set up but not containing accurate data yet.

From Apple ][ - to new Mac Pro I've owned them all.Long on AAPL so biased"Google doesn't sell you anything, Google just sells you!"

Seriously? What are you smoking? Releasing a Verizon iPhone 6 months from the launch of iPhone 5 (pretty much guaranteed based on the last 3 launches being almost identical) was out of character.

With the iPad we are already past the initial announce date, 8 weeks from the initial "taking orders" date and less than 12 weeks from the first iPad's 1 yr anniversary. If you think this isn't for iPad 2 you no nothing of Apple or their work.

How are they going to drive this display? It's powering so many pixels it may not be any faster than the first iPad at all. And these RAM increases will be mostly used by things iPad 1 doesn't even have. Discounting any semi-modest RAM increases. I hope A5 is a dual-core mobile ARM chip with 'serious' (yet efficient) graphics power, and iPad 2 has 1GB of RAM. A lot of unanswered questions remain.

I should be excited by a retina display on iPad 2, but I'm actually worried how well it will drive it - despite what Apple marketing says. That "amazingly-powerful" iPad 1 can't even keep even several windows open in its browser.

All this suggest iPad 2 won't be any lighter.

The iPad is 'both' the best and most annoying device ever made. A retina display would be amazing for the app we have planned, however.

Kinda disappointing to me that these appear as if they're going to have the same price points. I was hoping we might see some price drops with the new generation.

That would be incredibly foolish.

Most of the competitors' tablets are supposed to be equal to or greater in price than the iPad - and almost all of them have half the screen area. Why in the world would Apple cut their price when they're already offering the best value, by far?

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13

They might keep on with the present 16GB as a low end, and have these prices for the new one. They did it with the iPod touch with the old 8GB and new 32 and 64GB models.

Were it not for the fact that they're trying to push FaceTime, I might agree. However, I could see them dropping the 16GB WiFi 1st gen to $399 and have 32, 64, and 128GB new models above that. The biggest problem I see with lowering pricing is the bumping into the 64GB iPod Touch's $399 price point. I don't think they would do that except in the refurbished store.

Most of the competitors' tablets are supposed to be equal to or greater in price than the iPad - and almost all of them have half the screen area. Why in the world would Apple cut their price when they're already offering the best value, by far?

They may keep the original iPad around. As they do now with the 3GS. I think they will.

( that way margins are only reduced on the lower end model, reducing the margin hit across the line).

First generation will drop it's price. C'mon this is Apple we're talking about. If anything we might see a price increase. Starting price will probably be $599 for 32GB, no more 16.

First generation, if they don't force a sellout by stopping production way early, will indeed go down in price. To sell the remaining units. Perhaps they might keep one model like the 16 gb wifi (or 32gb wifi at the 16price) for the kiddies, schools etc. But the rest will go.

As for a price increase, not likely. At least not as extreme as you suggest. Apple's history has been to increase specs and keep the prices the same as much as possible. That said if the 3G versions are indeed a dual system, that might force a slight increase, say from $20-30 to offset increased licensing costs

First generation, if they don't force a sellout by stopping production way early, will indeed go down in price. To sell the remaining units. Perhaps they might keep one model like the 16 gb wifi (or 32gb wifi at the 16price) for the kiddies, schools etc. But the rest will go.

The standard Apple tactic has been to keep the old model at a lower price, and sell the new model at the old price. I expect that iPad 1 will continue to sell at a large discount ( possibly as you said the version(s) with the lower RAM). They will only drop it if the sales are not up to expectations. Lower prices always increases your market share. Lower across all lines makes no sense as you have already proven that you can the sell the original device at the higher price, however you can sweep up more people with a lowered price on the original model. This is what they do with the 3GS.

Every single one of you thinks that the newest models cheapest price point will be $100 more than the existing models lowest price point. That's a huge price increase and will be flagged as such by the press.

The lowest priced iPad 2 will cost $499. The entry model ( a iPad 1 with low memory) will be less - I am guessing $399.

I'm not sure. If the iPhone is any indication, Apple's strategy may well be different.

With the iPhone, didn't they cut the price shortly after the early adopters bought them? And right now, aren't they selling a cut-rate, low-storage version of the obsolete 3GS?

From recent indications, these strategies have worked well for Apple. I remain skeptical of any specific predictions WRT the iPad, however.

Obsolete my ass. It was top of the range all of 8 months ago. I have one, and like other people on 2 year contracts, will be replacing it with a iPhone 5, not a 4. It works perfectly. The iPhone 4 doesnt seem much faster - although the screen is , of course, a great improvement.

Required customers to make a decision about technical topics which are well beyond their abilities just to buy one product.

I'd ask what you thought I meant, but we already know...

You originally suggested an iPad with a retina display and one without, both with different memory. Thats two technical decisions to make, which is the point that CEOStevie was making. Most people get the difference between 16GB and 32GB. If they were to do a retina and a non-retina display it would be 4 models - each at 32GB and 64GB ( assuming the memory increases in iPad2).